The new Salvia cultivar is a product of chance discovery. The new variety was discovered as a chance seedling among a commercial planting of Salvia microphylla plants. The seed parent is believed to be Salvia microphylla, ‘Hot Lips’. The pollen parent is unknown, but likely another Salvia microphylla variety. The new variety was discovered at a commercial nursery in Royal Oaks, Calif. during the Spring of 2010.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘KILLER CRANBERRY’ by vegetative cuttings was first performed Apr. 4, 2012, at a at a commercial nursery in Royal Oaks, Calif. Subsequent propagation has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type on successive generations.